The Atlanta Hawks are taking on the New York Knicks today, and the story about their not playing at home was a significant storyline. It remains so, but may a little less following head coach Quin Snyder’s surprising decision to change the starting lineup.
Snyder has moved reserve center Onyeka Okongwu into the starting lineup, sending veteran Clint Capela to the bench.
The change was announced shortly before game time.
Starting 🖐️
— Atlanta Hawks (@ATLHawks) January 20, 2025
Presented by @Chase pic.twitter.com/zzPZqBJ9dl
“The Atlanta Hawks are inserting Onyeka Okongwu into the starting lineup at center and moving Clint Capela to the bench,” HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto posted on X following the team’s announcement on January 20. “Okongwu has averaged 18.3 points on 60.6% shooting from the field 15.7 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 1.7 blocks in his last three games.”
This decision may not be a direct negative reflection of Capela. But it has been a long time coming. Capela is in the final year of a two-year deal and will be an unrestricted free agent after the season without a new one.
Okongwu, the No. 6 overall pick of the 2020 draft, has worked to expand his game over the past two seasons especially and is locked in for multiple seasons.
Capela had not come off the bench since 2022-23 and has been a full-time starter since 2016-17.
This was always the plan for the Hawks
Okongwu averages more minutes than Capela and closes games.
“I think we’re going to be long, we’re going to be athletic, we’re gonna be very young, and I think this team is gonna be an incredible amount of fun,” Hawks CEO Steve Koonin said on “Dukes & Bell” in August 2024. “There’s a good chance Trae Young is our oldest starter at 26 years old.”
With this move, the Hawks starting lineup (when everyone is healthy) is Young (26), Dyson Daniels (21), Zaccharie Risacher (19), Jalen Johnson (23), and now Okongwu (24).
The obvious question is what does this mean for the Hawks at the trade deadline?
Capela has drawn interest before, and this move frees up the Hawks to tinker with their bench rather than their starting five. However, the move does not mean the Hawks have to move Capela either.
His addition to the bench adds a defensive presence that could be invaluable. The group already features high-powered scorers in Bogdan Bogdanovic and De’Andre Hunter.
Removing Okongwu from the equation will hurt that potent group offensively.
Moving Capela there should at least prevent more points than the unit did before with Okongwu, who is not as much of an anchor on that end as Capela but offers more in space. The group is also veteran-laden which should help minimize mistakes when the starters are not on the floor.
Regardless, this move makes so much sense for the Hawks. Now, all eyes will be on what happens next.